SUDAN GRASS. 7 



to Columbia Basin conditions. Its wide adaptability to the climatic 

 conditions of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains is note- 

 worthy. IVliile the original stock showed little variability, the grass 

 has crossed very readily with sorghums, so that it is possible to select 

 various hybrids differing especially in leafiness and date of maturity. 

 Presumably all of the variants are due to crossing, but no isolated 

 areas of the original seed have yet been grown to determine whether 

 other factors are operative. 



In the humid regions the results are not so uniformly satisfactory, 

 and the future of the grass east of the 100th meridian can not be 

 forecasted with confidence until much further evidence is available. 



A few packages of seed were also sent in 1911 and 1912 to farmers 

 for practical trials. The reports of several of these trials are cited 

 as indicative of the value of the grass, and some of them are valuable 

 as suggesting critical experiments. 



RESULTS OF TESTS AT CHILLICOTHE. 



Sudan grass was first tested at Chillicothe, Tex., in 1909, a single 

 row being grown and all the seed saved. In 1910 this seed was 

 planted in 30-inch rows on seven-fifteenths of an acre of land. 

 Though the season was exceedingly dry it grew to a height of 4 to 4| 

 feet. A small portion of the plat, one-fifteenth of an acre, was cut 

 for hay and yielded two cuttings. From the remainder, 134 pounds 

 of seed were secured in two pickings,, which is at the rate of 335 

 pounds per acre. 



In 1911, plats were planted June 1 on newly broken sod land, from 

 which two cuttings of hay were secured, each larger than the one 

 cutting of German millet grown alongside. The total rainfall from 

 April 1 to November 1 was 14 inches. The drought conditions of the 

 season were such that both milo and kafir produced only about one- 

 fourth of a normal grain yield. 



I During the season of 1912 more detailed results were secured. 

 Four cuttings of hay Avere obtained from a one-tenth acre plat, drilled 

 on April 26 at the rate of 3 pecks of seed per acre. The date and 

 amount of each cutting are as follows: 



Pounds. 



June 22 214 



July 17 181 



August 20 - 305 



October 14 180 



Total . 880 



[Cir. 125] 



